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Intel Core i7 930 CPU review - busting through 4GHz

by Tarinder Sandhu on 1 March 2010, 08:16 4.0

Tags: Core i7 930 OC (25/02/10), SCAN, Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qawc6

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A look at the chip




Here's the retail-box model that you will be able to buy for £215, starting today. Its arrival and pricing structure underscores the Core i7 920's demise and near-future removal from etailers' listings.





A new CPU and a new S-spec code. This one's SLBKP, and it was packed on February 8th in Costa Rica.




The retail cooler is very similar to the one packaged with the Core i7 920 chip. That would make sense when one considers that they're both practically the same CPU. We've used it for the performance numbers in this review.




The chip looks no different to any other quad-core LGA1366, either, and it will fit into any X58 motherboard without requiring a BIOS update.




CPU-Z identifies it as a D0 stepping, much like all new Core i7 LGA1366 chips.



Under-load speed jumps up one multiplier as the Turbo Boost feature is activated. Having a 21x multiplier will help in overclocking, because a 200MHz BCLK, if reached, will lead to a mouth-watering 4.2GHz clock-speed. If the Turbo Boost is kept active in the BIOS, which is not recommended for overclocking, the chip could hit a potential 4.4GHz at 200MHz BCLK.